Modes of Transport

The term ‘mode of transport’ refers to numerous methods of moving people, objects or both. The various modes of transportation include air, water and land transportation, which includes trains, highways and off-road travel. There are also other modes, including pipelines, cable transmission and space flight etc. The different modes of transport are shown below.

Fig.1 Modes of Transport

Advantage and Disadvantage Different Modes of Transport

1) Road Transport

Advantages	Disadvantages
Less capital outlay	Seasonal nature
Door to door service	Accidents and breakdowns
Service in rural areas	Unsuitable for long distance and bulky traffic
Flexible service	Slow speed
Suitable for short distance	Lack of organization
Lesser risk of damage in transit
Saving in packing cost
Rapid speed
Less cost
Private owned vehicles
Feeder to other modes of transport

2) Railway Transport

Advantages	Disadvantages
Dependable	Huge capital outlay
Better organized	Lack of flexibility
High speed over long distances	Lack of door to door service
Suitable for bulky and heavy goods	Monopoly
Cheaper transport	Unsuitable for short distance and small loads
Larger capacity	Booking formalities
Public welfare	No rural service
Administrative facilities of Government	Under-utilized capacity
Employment opportunities	Centralized administration
Safety

3) Air Transport

Advantages	Disadvantages
High speed	Very costly
Comfortable and quick services	Small carrying capacity
No investment in construction of track	Uncertain and unreliable
No physical barriers	Breakdowns and accidents
Easy access	Large investment
Emergency services	Specialized skill
Quick clearance	Unsuitable for cheap and bulky goods
Most suitable for carrying light goods of       high value	Legal restrictions
National defense
Space exploration

Elements of Transport

The movement of goods or passenger traffic, through rail, sea, air or road transport requires adequate infrastructure facilities for the free flow from the place of origin to the place of destination. Irrespective of modes, every transport system has some common elements. These elements influence the effectiveness of different modes of transport and their utility to users.

1) Vehicle or Carrier to Carry Passenger or Goods

The dimension of vehicles, its capacity and type are some of the factors, which influence the selection of a transport system for movement of goods from one place to the other.

2) Route or Path for Movement of Carriers

Routes play an important role in movement of carriers from one point to another point. It may be surface roads, navigable waterways and roadways. Availability of well-designed and planned routes without any obstacle for movement of transport vehicles in specific routes, is a vital necessity for smooth flow of traffic.

3) Terminal Facilities for Loading and Unloading of Goods and Passengers from Carriers

The objective of transportation can’t be fulfilled unless proper facilities are available for loading and unloading of goods or entry and exit of passengers from carrier. Terminal facilities are to be provided for loading and unloading of trucks, wagons etc. on a continuous basis.

4) Prime Mover

The power utilized for moving of vehicles for transportation of cargo from one place to another is another important aspect of the total movement system.

5) Transit Time and Cost

Transportation involve time and cost. The time element is a valid factor for determining the effectiveness of a particular mode of transport. The transit time of available system of transportation largely determines production and consumption pattern of perishable goods in an economy.

6) Cargo

Transportation basically involves movement of cargo from one place to another. Hence, nature and size of cargo constitute the basis of any goods transport system.